Provincial police are warning residents about a scam after a Petrolia resident had $10,000 withdrawn from their bank account by someone who claimed to be a Bell technician.
Lambton OPP said the fraudulent incident was reported on August 11.
The so-called technician called the victim and said they were eligible to receive a refund.
Police said the fraudster asked for remote access to the victim's computer to "process the payment," and once connected, the scammer gained access to the victim's online banking account.
The money was withdrawn, but because the victim quickly contacted police, no further withdrawals were reported.
Police are reminding residents that legitimate companies will never ask for remote access to your computer to issue a refund, and banking information or passwords should never be shared online or over the phone.
"Scammers often use names of trusted companies, like Bell, to trick victims into giving them access to sensitive information," read an OPP media release. "Always verify before providing personal information."
Suspicious calls can be reported to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
